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Baugh enters CD-48 Race; Muddies Waters for Congress

Former OC GOP chair Scott Baugh took his hefty bank account down to the county ROV and pulled papers for Congress in CD-48 challenging long time incumbent Dana Rohrabacher and raising fears that the multiple Democrats in the race will splinter the Blue vote enough to allow two Republicans to emerge at the top of ballot for Congress.

Rohrabacher still has the name ID and Republicans in OC generally don’t like when another Republican challenges an incumbent running for re-election. For Baugh to challenge Rohrabacher is rich — given his history of discouraging the very sort of campaigns he has now launched.

While voter registration does favor the GOP in CD-48, all the Democrats have filed for the June primary and will be on the ballot. Can one candidate emerge?

The CDP has an endorsed candidate in this race. With the exception of one candidate for Congress with a questionable D next to his name, all of the candidates on the Democratic side are good candidates. It’s going to come down to who can turn out the vote. Dana has name ID; Baugh has money. Republicans in the district who don’t like Trump may gravitate to Baugh. It’s also not inconceivable that Rohrabacher finishes out of the top 2.

The big question is are there enough Democrats rallying behind one candidate to push that person to the top 2? And it’s become a very interesting race indeed.